UP radio communications

[Allen Dee]

It has been years since the last time I traveled on an LD train while listening to a scanner.

Several years ago the communications between the dispatchers and the train crews were very slow and deliberate.

The transmission would go like this:

(Location of Dispatcher) Dispatcher to Amtrak (train number)

You are authorized to proceed (number of blocks) from (name of block) to (name of block). Authority given (time of day in the AM or PM).

The engineer or fireman would then relay the information back to the dispatcher in the same slow manner.

On my most recent trip I noticed that this procedure had changed. The dispatcher identifies himself/herself with a 2-digit number. The authority is given like this, in rapid fire like the communications between air traffic controllers and pilots.

The communications went like this:

X Box CP (milepost numbers)

X Box CP (milepost numbers)

X Box CP (milepost numbers)

Track Warrant number (xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

The full date (month, day, and year), military time, and the dispatcher's name.

Within a few seconds the engineer would rattle the same information back to the dispatcher at the same rapid pace.

I would assume that the engineer has a check-list form that he/she uses instead of the old time-honored form.

Could someone on the forum explain to me exactly how this works?

The talking trackside detectors still gave out the information in a slow manner.

As the head end passed the scanner, it would identify itself. After the last car passed, it would tell track number, any defects (always none), number of axles, speed of train, and in higher elevations the ambient temperature.

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

On the line i run on we use Track Warrents and there a pain in the A%% we have a track warrent form that has boxes on it that we will fill in it has 21 boxes on it.

 

[battalion51]

Allen, the first manner you described sounds a like a Form D to me. On tracks without signal systems (CTC, ABS, etc.) this or Track Warrant is used to give authority to run on the track. There are established DTC Blocks which usually have names. For example a Form D you might hear could be, Amtrak P098 Engine 51 North has permission to occupy 2 blocks, 2 blocks, Alpha Block, and Beta #2 block in the North direction, relieved of flagging. Engineer will repeat this back. The Dispatcher will give her initials, location and ok time, Engineer repeats it back giving his last name at the end. This method is heavily used in the east on lower volume tracks, signs are posted at the beginning and end of each block. Track warrants however are more useful on higher volume tracks, because there is no definition to the amount of block you can occupy at a given point in time. For example one day you might get a Warrant from CP1005 to CP978, on main track 2. But, the next day you have to meet someone at CP996, so you will get only that much track. It facilitates meets and is a little easier for the dipatcher to work with since there's no real definition to the blocks.

 

[Allen Dee]

Thank you BNSF and B51 for your responses.

I was specfically referring to the UP (former SP) Coast Line route between Santa Barbara and San Jose. Years ago they used to use block names, and all the information was read very slowly.

Now they use the CP (numbers), and the information is read very rapidly by both the dispatcher and the engineer. It is obvious that neither party is writing down the numbers. I assume the engineer has a form with the numbers already printed and places an X in the appropriate box. Am I correct?

 

[tp49]

Allen,

I can speak with some knowledge of the area, and in fact you will hear a lot of that kind of communication in the Sacramento area. They in fact do use form D's and if you spend the $20 on the Altamont Pressregion timetable they have a copy of one on the back cover.

From speaking with UP recruiters in the area recently almost all of the dispatching is dome from Omaha, using the Bay Area for example 58's territory is from Salinas to Oakland just north of the coach yard around where the BART overpass is heading NB I-880 would be on the right, then you run into 62's terriroty on the approach into Emeryville. However, DS 57 who's territory starts near the I Street bridge into Sacramento is located in Roseville. 57 uses track warrants a lot especially because of the trackwork on the Yolo Causeway. For example here in Sac you'll hear something like this.

"Track Warrant #03342 grants permisson to Amtrak 737 with the CDTX 2013 West to proceed between CP 082.1 and CP 086 past gang 8346 on the #2 track on the Martinez sub at maximum authorized speed. Bells and whistles (or as they say sometimes "Noise for the boys.") through the red flagged area at CP 084. This warrant is okayed at 1430 hours by foreman of gang 8346."

You'll also hear them at OKJ or SJC determining whether the Starlite will take the Coast or Niles subs depending on how late the train is.

The area south of OKJ on both the Coast and Niles sub's are all under warrant control but from OKJ to at least MTZ and I believe even Davis is all CTC.

This much I learned from listening to 62 and 57 every night. I sometimes can pick up one of the detectors that relays ambient temperature late at night but am unsure where that detector is.